Following senior commencement, Miami University plans to break ground for construction, but not for a new academic building or residence hall.
Miami will begin drilling more than 500 wells almost 850 feet into the earth as the university’s next step toward carbon neutrality. The wells will be used for geothermal energy extraction to support the conversion of the North Chiller Plant from fossil-fuel-powered steam systems to a geothermal energy plant. According to the Energy Information Administration, geothermal plants use wells to extract and use the heat from the Earth’s interior to power turbines that generate electricity.
Overseeing this project is Miami’s Director of Sustainability, Olivia Herron.
“Through the President’s Climate Leadership Commitment, President Crawford has committed Miami to carbon neutrality by 2040. The biggest source of our emissions, broadly, is energy,” Herron said. “But specifically, we can attribute the biggest single source to heating and cooling our buildings.”
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The North Chiller Plant, located between Withrow and McFarland Halls, currently provides heating and cooling through steam systems powered by natural gas, a fossil fuel. Although cleaner than conventional fossil fuels such as coal and oil, natural gas is non-renewable, and unintended leaks or flaring can harm the environment.
Photo by Ava Kalina |
The Miami Student
The geothermal wells will be dug under the front lawn of Millett Hall instead of the Millett parking lot.
“We have transitioned to natural gas, which is obviously a lot cleaner. But still, we know that it’s not efficient to send something really hot through 14 miles of underground line. You’re just always going to have heat loss,” Herron said. “… This transition to geothermal is essential to achieving our carbon neutrality targets and will just improve the energy efficiency of all of the buildings it starts.”
The soon-to-be North Geothermal Plant will provide clean heating and cooling to many North campus buildings, including Millett Hall and the Student Athlete Development Center. In addition to North Campus buildings being supported by the North Geothermal Plant, Shideler and Bachelor Hall will be transitioned onto Western’s existing geothermal energy plant.
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The Oxford campus projects to heat 43 buildings from geothermal by 2026, accounting for 39% of campus buildings and making geothermal the largest energy source by square footage and number of buildings.
Geothermal plants produce and store energy all year round, making them a reliable source for fluctuating weather patterns and changing climates. Don Van Winkle, the associate director of engineering within Miami’s physical facilities department, explains its capacity to balance energy shortages in times of need.
“What the geothermal wellfield will allow us to do is take that energy we’re pulling out in an unbalanced situation and store it in the ground,” Van Winkle said. “So if we are in the cooling season, we’ve got to take a bunch of heat out of spaces. And we always have someplace to put heat, there’s always domestic hot water going on, no matter what time of year.”
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Van Winkle explained that the current steam system is a balancing act of energy use, and with geothermal the ground can be used as an underground battery to store unused energy.
“There is always use for some of the heat, but it could be out of balance. We can use the new geothermal wells to send that heat into the ground, and then it’s available for us to use in the winter when we are unbalanced the other way.”
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The original project outline for digging these geothermal wells planned on tearing up the Millett parking lot, but discussions in the fall 2023 semester led to a decision not to drill the wells underneath the parking lot. Herron said the wells will be dug under the grass in front of Millett instead.
The energy efficiency, low cost and storage abilities of geothermal energy make it an enticing source of energy for college campuses. With its growing popularity, Miami has run into issues finding contractors to begin construction.
“Cost is going crazy with everything right now, but there’s also a pretty high demand for transitioning to geothermal, especially amongst college campuses,” Van Winkle said. “Contractors, they’re becoming more available but a lot of them are busy. There’s a lot of people doing this work. It’s hard to get good competitive pricing and construction in general right now.”
Once the plant is in operation, the university expects costs to go down from removing cooling towers that currently serve the chiller plant, which require excessive chemicals and water for steam production.
The transition to geothermal is one step closer to Miami’s goal of carbon neutrality, and places Miami as an exemplary institution in the race to decarbonization. From 2008-2022 the university reduced their energy-based carbon emissions by 57% and saved $95 million from utility usage. Another geothermal plant will push Miami to wider dependency on geothermal energy and a subsequent reduction in emissions.
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“It’s also exciting because the goal is essentially for eventually all buildings to be tied on to this geothermal system,” said Herron.
Miami’s North Chiller Plant conversion is expected to begin in the summer of 2024 and be in full operation starting the spring of 2026, with time to charge the Earth’s “battery” over the summer months.
MIAMI — Dustin May attacked the strike zone and got ahead in counts, allowing his arsenal to play at its best in the Cardinals’ 5-3 win over the Marlins at loanDepot park on Tuesday.
The right-hander consistently set the tone early, either landing a first-pitch strike or inducing a foul
The Miami Heat are heading into another crucial offseason, and they MUST make changes. This team has been mediocre for the past few seasons and has been stuck in the Play-in Tournament. The Heat can’t currently compete with the way the roster is constructed. They need to trade for a star who can lead this team, and if a star becomes available, Miami will be involved. The real question is which direction actually makes the most sense.
The Heat could go after three potential targets this summer: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Donovan Mitchell. Who should Miami target? Let’s stack rank them based on fit, risk, and potential.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Only Move That Changes Everything
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Apr 10, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo enjoys a moment during warmups prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Miami Heat need to go all-in for Giannis. This is a trade that would completely reshape the franchise. Giannnis could potentially turn the Heat into a contender overnight. Even with his recent injury cutting his season short, nothing about his overall impact has changed. He still bends defenses in a way very few players can. Teams build entire game plans around simply trying to slow him down, and most of the time, it doesn’t work.
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The Miami Heat have desperately needed a true superstar who can take over games late in crunch time. The Heat have been relying on undrafted players and role players to create and execute their offense. Giannis flips that instantly by creating advantages on his own, possession after possession.
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I think the most interesting part will be pairing Giannis with Bam Adebayo. They would automatically become the best defensive frontcourt duo in the NBA. Giannis and Bam could both guard 1-5, and their switchability and rim protection would be elite. Offensively, Bam’s versatility allows Giannis to stay aggressive without needing to adjust his game too much.
The risk is obvious. Injuries have started to creep into the conversation, and committing everything to one player always carries weight. Still, Miami has never been a franchise that plays it safe. If Giannis is available, the conversation starts and ends there.
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2. Donovan Mitchell: The Cleanest Basketball Fit
Apr 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts after a made basket during the second half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
If Giannis is the bold swing, Mitchell is the move that makes the most basketball sense from top to bottom. At this stage of his career, Donovan Mitchell knows exactly who he is as a player. He can control tempo, create offense in isolation, and take over stretches of games when things stall out and that is something Miami has struggled with consistently.
This is less about transforming the roster and more about fixing a specific problem. The Heat have lacked a reliable perimeter engine. Mitchell fills that gap immediately. What makes him especially appealing is how easily he fits into different lineups. He doesn’t need the ball every possession to be effective, but he can handle that role when needed. That flexibility matters on a team that values structure as much as Miami does.
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There’s also a timeline advantage here. Mitchell is younger than the other options and doesn’t come with the same long-term durability concerns. He gives Miami a clearer runway to build around, rather than a shorter window that demands immediate results. He may not bring the same overwhelming presence as Giannis, but he raises the overall level of the team in a way that feels sustainable.
3. Kawhi Leonard: Elite Talent With Too Many Variables
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Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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When Kawhi Leonard is available and healthy, he’s still one of the most controlled and efficient players in the league. His season with the Los Angeles Clippers was a reminder of that. Playing 65 games was a big step, and when he was on the floor, he looked like himself, methodical, physical, and impossible to speed up. From a pure basketball standpoint, he fits Miami’s identity. He defends, doesn’t force offense, and thrives in structured environments.
The hesitation comes from everything outside of that. Kawhi’s availability has been unpredictable for years, and even in seasons where he plays a high number of games, there’s always uncertainty about how things will hold up deep into a playoff run. Age adds another layer. Miami wouldn’t just be trading for a player; they’d be betting on a timeline that may already be shrinking. There’s no denying the upside. A healthy Kawhi still moves the needle in a big way. It’s just harder to justify that gamble compared to the other two options.
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Final Take
Each path offers something different. Giannis is the all-in swing that could put Miami back in the championship conversation overnight. Mitchell is the calculated move that stabilizes the offense and fits long-term. Kawhi is the wildcard, still elite, but with more uncertainty than the Heat can comfortably ignore.
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If Miami is serious about breaking out of the middle, they need to pick a direction and commit fully. Giannis is the dream, Mitchell is the smartest bet, and Kawhi is the toughest sell.
MIAMI (WSVN) – A 21-year-old man was arrested on a charge of sexual battery on a minor by an adult and lewd or lascivious molestation stemming from an alleged incident involving a 10-year-old girl, according to an arrest report.
According to the report, Alvin Davis was arrested due in connection from an alleged incident that occurred Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The child’s mother, who became suspicious and placed a recording device in the child’s bedroom.
The report states the girl told investigators that Davis touched her inappropriately on multiple occasions.
Authorities said Davis was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is being held without bond.
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